Rollerblading and laughing along the mansion’s pathway, we take in the resting gardens. No flowers here seek light, their bulbs and seeds are hidden under fallen leaves. The autumn air has warmed, but everything here waits for the upcoming winter.

We sit down on a stone step, and sit there talking, until our attention is flipped to the mansion itself. The dull brick outer skin, sharp roofs, and artfully barred windows lay out before us, solemn and mysterious. Picking ourselves up, we roll up the stone slabs to the mansion’s patio and walk across the grass, heading home. It’s only four in the afternoon, but the sun is starting to set, and the day is steadily losing its warmth. Shadows begin to cast off deteriorating statues, looming oak trees, and grave stones of once-loved pets.
“Hey look, there’s a door up there.”
Mia points up the rusty fire escape to a plain metal door. She grins as she realizes the absence of a “No Trespassing” sign and starts up the steps. She proceeds one by one in her rollerblades, but she reaches the top in no time. After reenacting Romeo and Juliet, I watch her, making sure she doesn’t slip and fall. Her rubber wheels barely catch the metal grooves of the landing. I check our surroundings as she tries the door knob.
“It’s unlocked.”
Another grin slides across her face and I chuckle nervously as the door opens slightly. She peers into darkness and instantly is forced back, tumbling all the way down to the concrete. In disbelief, I hurry to her crumpled body. Reaching for her I collapse, an impossible weight presses me down.
The door slams shut.